With the Triple Crown prep races in full swing, a pair of sons of Gainesway stallions promise to be players deep into the spring with their performances on Saturday. Tempted to Tapit, by Tapit, finished second in the Risen Star (G3) at Fair Grounds. About an hour later, Dublin, by Afleet Alex, was likewise a runner-up in the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

Tempted to Tapit came into the $300,000 Risen Star off a smashing 11-1/2 length maiden victory at Aqueduct, where he earn an impressive 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Stepping into stakes company for the first time, Tempted to Tapit was sent off at 8-1 against a deep field in the Risen Star. He broke alertly, settling in behind the pacesetter Discreetly Mine. The leader began to edge away at the top of the stretch, but Tempted to Tapit dug in gamely and was cutting into the lead as they neared the wire. He earned another nice Beyer of 91.

The strong finish could set him up for a run in the Mar. 27 Louisiana Derby (G2), the Kentucky Derby prep at the New Orleans oval.

Jockey David Cohen seemed to be looking forward as well. “We were going a pretty easy pace and he ran good. He finished very strong and held of those other challengers for second.”

The second-place check of $60,000 pushed the earnings of the Gainesway color-bearer to $109,340.

At Oaklawn Park, Dublin was a fast-closing second to Conveyance in the $250,000 Southwest S. The Southwest is the first of three Kentucky Derby preps at Oaklawn, culminating with Arkansas Derby (G1), a race won by Dublin's sire Afleet Alex.

In the Southwest, Dublin broke a bit tardy, seeming to be a little tough to settle for jockey Terry Thompson. Going several paths wide around the first turn, Dublin stayed out in the middle of the track down the backstretch while well back in the 10-horse field. He began to make up ground around the far turn while still running far off the inside rail. He made an impressive move to go from sixth to second in less than a quarter mile, but ran out of ground in the short stretch and was three parts of a length back at the wire.

The performance earned him a career-high 96 Beyer, making the Southwest a very solid first start to his important 3-year-old campaign. Oaklawn's next major race for the 3-year-olds will be the $300,000 Rebel S. (G2) on Saturday, March 13.